1. Glasgow, Scotland-December 23, 2017

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​It was a cold, December evening in Glasgow, Scotland.

Simone stared out of the bedroom window reading the hardcover book of 'A Christmas Carol​', by Charles Dickens. She had long, black hair, hazel eyes, and tall. She was wearing a white nightgown...and was barefoot. Next to her bed was her black slippers. She noticed the falling snow; she shivered from the freezing weather, as she stared at her new I-phone. The time was: 7:00 PM. She watched her favourite toy bear, Mister Harold Smith, had also been shivering.

"It's alright, Mummy will take care of you". She wasn't like her own Mummy. Mummy was a busy lawyer in town; Daddy was a writer, and didn't like being disturbed when he was working in his spacious, mahogany study which was in the dim hallway of their majestic looking house; she gripped her book with her small, right, hand; she felt it slip away. It fell onto the teal carpet; she heard the loud thud​ noise. "Mister Harold Smith, are you alright? Are you hurt? Dear me!", she said. She waited for Mummy to talk to Daddy; she was going to be grounded for the book falling; she was concerned about the consequences of the fall itself. But, to her relief, nothing happened. Simone grinned, then she read the Christmas book to her bear, who watched the book attentively, like a human boy would when the holiday season was upon them.

~~~

"Simone! A good Christmas eve, yes. I'm Daniel G. Lowe", it said. Simone who hadn't met any elves at all, shook her head. "My, are you alone?", she asked it. "No. My brothers and sisters are welcoming Santa Claus tomorrow eve", Daniel answered her. "That's December 24. Santa will come down the chimney, and give me presents on Christmas Day, December 25", she said. "Yes, and it's very busy for Santa Claus, and Mrs. Claus...and their children", Daniel said. "Apart from Christmas, what does Fantasy Land offer? Rides, swings, books", Simone said. "That's Book Land, it's over there, through the Glasgow Woods", Daniel said. "I'd like to go there, I need a book to read during the holidays", Simone said. She picked up Mister Harold Smith. He was watching the elf, as it laughed. "A bear! How delightful! Does it speak?", Daniel asked. "No. He's a Non-Speaking Bear".

Simone finished reading the book. She had felt the magic of Christmas. Suddenly, as she put her bear to bed, she saw elves dressed in red suits. They were wearing green clothes; they wore red hats on their small heads; they were walking in the soft snow in their red boots. "Look, elves!", Simone said to Mister Harold Smith. The bear's black eyes were soft; the eyes were button-holed. They were focused on the glass windows. Yellow curtains moved across the room. Simone walked to the windows. As she did so, she saw the lead elf was moving towards her. It had pointy ears, and spoke in a sing-song voice. "Greetings, Mister Harold Smith! I'm Regal St. James, III". The bear moved its head. "Welcome to Fantasy Land", it said. The elf smiled. "Now, we must be going to the White Castle of Eyre; no one goes to the Dark Castle", it added. "Why not, Regal?", Simone asked. "Doom. It's doom if you go there", it spoke again. And she nodded, as she bowed...and held onto her teddy bear in her small arms, and comforted the bear before it went to sleep.